Which people fit the criteria for a ‘talent visa’?

The talent visa is for workers who will make a significant contribution to the economy and allows them to live and work in France for several years.

The aim is to make it easier for ‘talented people’ to come to France.

After arrival, holders of this visa can apply online for a €225 carte de séjour, which corresponds to the terms of the visa, allowing them to stay for up to four years. This is renewable later if their situation remains similar.

This visa can also enable any immediate family to accompany – or join them later – and benefit from special conditions.

They can have a visa/multi-year residency card called talent – famille.

This includes the right to work in France. a non-working spouse, and children, of a person coming on an ordinary work visa would only be issued with ‘visitor’ visas/cards not conferring the right to work (if coming over to join a spouse/parent already living in France, they can obtain the more favourable vie privée et familiale visa/card via the process of regroupement familial – see chapter 7).

Talent visas are granted to people “that are likely to make a significant or lasting contribution – directly or indirectly – to the development of the French economy as well as its culture, science, sports through their skills and talents.”

Likely applicants are split into several categories, for example:

• Qualified workers who have obtained a qualification from a French institution at masters level or beyond and have an offer of a gross salary of at least €39,582 (before employee’s social charges are deducted).

Those coming for less than a year get a VLS-TS passeport talent; those staying longer get a three-month visa during which time they should apply for a card online.

• Carte bleue – People coming for less than a year may obtain a VLS-TS passeport talent – carte bleue européenne to be validated within three months; those coming for longer obtain a talent visa to be exchanged in france via an online application for a carte de séjour talent - carte bleue européenne - exercice d’une activité salariée.

Applicants should have a diploma after at least three years of higher education or five (three for certain professions) years of professional experience at a comparable level, a contract for at least one year with a gross salary of at least €59,373.

Note this card can also be obtained by people who have previously lived in another EU country with a blue card for at least one year.

• Employees of ‘young, innovative companies’ - There are set criteria for a company to be considered as such and your work should be directly linked to the company’s research and development and your gross salary should be at least €39,582.

Other categories for this visa include people coming on secondment to work for the same business or group of businesses in france, researchers, people coming to set up a company in which they will invest at least €30,000 and people involved in an ‘innovative’ project with backing from a french public body.

It can also apply to a businessperson making a large (€300,000+) investment into a company which will help employment in france or to a recognised artist, performer or writer, or someone famous in an area such as sport, science or education etc.

For more on all of these options click here.